Gary Illyes from Google clarified a misconception about the relationship between core algorithm updates and backend processes like index selection and canonicalization. He likened core updates to adjusting cooking ingredients, which can drastically alter outcomes, while index selection and canonicalization operate independently, comparable to processes in the salt mines or MSG factories.

In response to David Minchala’s query regarding the speed of canonicalization during core updates, Illyes emphasized their separation, explaining that core updates impact search results like tweaking ingredients affects a dish. In contrast, index selection and canonicalization function more like behind-the-scenes processes in the production chain.

Understanding the Google Indexing Engine

During a core update, the processes of index selection and canonicalization operate independently from the changes happening in search results, as Gary Illyes clarified. This perspective aligns with Google’s patent descriptions of search systems, which often refer to them as a combination of engines, including an “indexing engine.”

In these patents, illustrations depict various engines such as the indexing engine, ranking engine, and score modification engine. Each engine processes data according to its specific function, highlighting the complexity and independence of the indexing process within Google’s search architecture.

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